In this episode of Minor Issues, Mark Thornton explores how nations quietly prepare for war—and what the corporate media isn’t telling you. From Europe’s military buildup and the global trade war to the hidden toll of economic sanctions, Mark unpacks historical patterns that have repeatedly led societies to disaster.

Why is gold at a record high? How does modern mercantilism fuel today’s tensions? Are we all just pawns in a much bigger game? Join Mark as he examines the real risks simmering beneath the headlines, and what history can teach us about the cost of ignoring them.

"The World at War—An Essential New Book from Ralph Raico" by Ryan McMaken: https://mises.org/MI_123A

An Anti-War Reading List: https://mises.org/MI_123B

The Costs of War: America's Pyrrhic Victories edited by John V. Denson: https://mises.org/MI_123C

Audio and videos recordings of the Mises Institute's May 2025 Revisionist History of War Conference: https://mises.org/MI_123D

Register for the 2025 Mises Institute Supporters Summit in Delray Beach, Florida, October 16–18: https://mises.org/ss25

In this episode, Mark Thornton shares his recent Revisionist History of War Conference talk on a lesser-known factor in the American Civil War: the Confederate “impressment” policy and its impact at Vicksburg. While Gettysburg is more famous, Vicksburg was just as pivotal, and the South’s policy of seizing goods at artificially low prices actually helped Grant win.

Mark challenges the idea that the Confederacy lost simply because it was outgunned, and he explores what this teaches about how smaller groups fighting for freedom and independence can take on much larger forces.

Tariffs, Blockades, and Inflation: The Economics of the Civil War by Mark Thornton and Robert Ekelund: https://mises.org/MI_122A

"The Confederate Blockade of the South" (Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics, Vol. 4, No. 1) by Mark Thornton and Robert Ekelund: https://mises.org/MI_122B

"The Economics of the Civil War" (eight-lecture series) by Mark Thornton: https://mises.org/MI_122C

Register for the 2025 Mises Institute Supporters Summit in Delray Beach, Florida, October 16–18: https://mises.org/ss25

In this episode, Mark Thornton discusses The Triumph of Economic Freedom: Debunking the Seven Great Myths of American Capitalism, the new book by Senator Phil Gramm and Professor Donald J. Boudreaux.

Mark reflects on the persistent misconceptions about capitalism in America and offers up a "Marxist interpretation" of our dilemma. He explores how entrenched ideologies shape the way information is presented, the influence of state actors on education and media, and the ways in which these forces skew perceptions of economic history. Ultimately, Mark argues for a more critical and evidence-based approach to understanding capitalism.

"Your Kids Are Already Communists, and College Will Make It Worse" (Minor Issues, Episode 89): Mises.org/MI_89

"Political Bias in Academia" (Minor Issues, Episode 95): Mises.org/MI_95

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